Door and door-frame construction



Oct. 22, 1929. B. J. TRILLER DOOR AND DOOR FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 22, 1929. B. .1. TRILLER DOOR AND DOOR FRAME CONSTRUCTIbN Filed Feb. 11. 1928 2 Shoots-Sinai 2 I "Ir mentor 73 1511 In! E,

Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES BENJAMIN J. TRILLER, OF DUIBUQUE, IOWA DOOR AND DOOR-FRAME CONSTRUCTION Application filed February 11, 19528.

This invention relates to improvements in door and door frame constructions, and more particularly to an improved method of constructing a door and its frame as a struc tural unit, and of shipping the same in such a manner as to enable the workman to in sort and anchor the door frame in a door opening without the necessity of additional operations such as squaring the door frame and fitting the door therein.

The usual method of erecting doors and door frames in a house or building in course of construction, is to leave door openings in the walls, usually formed by the rough studding at the sides of the door opening and a cross member or sill at the top thereof. To form the door frame separate pieces consisting of two uprights or jambs and a top cross member, are fitted into a door opening, and then squared up by the workman and finally the door is fitted to the frame and hung.

This operation is largely a process of fitting and trying and therefore a good deal of time is consumed for the installation of each door with the result that the labor cost is much greater than should he required in building operations, and particularly the cost of the interior finish.

The object of the present invention is to provide a unitary door construction in which the door and its frame are constructed and fitted together at the mill or place of manufacture and thence shipped to the place of erection ready to be installed as a unit into the doorway, first by anchoring the frame in place with the door acting as a square for the frame, and then removing the door for the purpose of applying the hinges and locks.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings showing a typical door construction in which the doorway is roughed out by the studs forming the foundation of the wall in which the doorway is located. However, the same scheme may be utilized regardless of the par ticular thickness or type of wall construction used, inasmuch as the door frame proper would be the same in every instance, the

Serial No. 253,554.

only difference being the size and the manner in which the finishing trim is applied.

In the drawings, therefore,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section through the side frame of a typical installation made in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a detail view in perspective showing a preferred method of joining the door frame at the corners,

Figure 3 is a side view showing the method of packing and shipping a pair of units, each unit including a frame and door, in a single package,

Figure 4!: is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4.& of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the lower corner of the shipping package including a pair of units.

Figures 6 and 7 are vertical and horizontal sections, respectively, showing the pair of units joined for shipment,

Figures 8 and 9 are vertical and horizontal sections, respectively, similar to Figures 6 and 7, but showing the two units separated, as before joining together for shipment, or as after shipment, they are made ready for installation on the job, and

Figure 10 is a vertical section showing the method of initial installation of the frame in a door opening.

Referring to Figure l, a typical wall construction is shown wherein a vertical stud 1 having the form of the ordinary 2 x4 lumber forms one side of the door opening. On either side of the studs are layers of lath 2-2 and outside of the lath are layers of plaster 3-3. The layers of lath and plaster terminate short of the outer edge of the stud 1, and along the outer edges of the lath 2 are thin strips of lumber 4,- itcrmed ground strips, which serve as a gauge for the thickness of the plaster to be applied over the lath.

The door f 'ame proper 5 consists of two 9 relatively thin strips of lumber 5- fitted and glued together at right angles to each other to form a composite door frame memher having an L-section. As shown in Figure 1, one of the door frame members 5 has which forms the abuttin flatwise a ainst the side face of the stud 1. It will be understood that there is a similar frame member 5 on the opposite side of the door as well as a cross frame member of the same sectional contour forming the top of the door frame, as shown in Figure 10. There is no bottom door frame member inasmuch as a threshold is usually applied after the door has been hung, al-

though during shipment of the door and frame unit a crating strip extends across the bottom of the unit as will hereinafter be disclosed.

In addition to the primary door frame member 5, there are other members which are required to complete the door construction,

these-being applied after the door frame proper has been inserted and anchored in place. Before describing these members, however, it will be pointed out that the anchoring of the door frame within the door opening is accomplished by driving nails 66 through each of the door frame members 5 and 5", as shown in Figure 1, from two directions, namely, from the side and face of the frame at right angles to each other, this cross nailing anchoring the frame member 5 securely against movement in any direction. The nails are driven through the frame member in this manner at different points around the frame and after the same has been centered by driving wedge members 7 into the spaces between the edge faces of the studding and the frame members 5".

The door 8 may be of any suitable construction such as a solid or panel door, its edges being separated from the door frame proper by the usual clearance space of say, one-sixteenth of an inch, which is provided for by means'hereinafter to be pointed out. The additionalframe members to be used in the finish or trim of the door depend upon the final width of the door opening, although in the wall construction illustrated in Figure 1, these membersconsist of a vertical strip 9 counterpart of the member 5 of the door frame 5 and is applied to the opposite side of the stud after the frame 5 has been set in place and anchored. Outside of the door frame 5 and strip 9 are ornamental finishing members or door trim 10 and 11, these being in the form of ornamental "molding strips which are so applied as to overlap the frame 5 and strip 9 and thus conceal the nail heads. The final member to complete the door is a door stop 13 consisting of the usual thin strip surrounding the inner face of the door frame and serving to limit the swinging movement of the door to its closed position.

Referring now to the manner in which the door and its door frame are fitted and assembled at the mill, it is to be pointed out that the doors are dressed and finished with their edges perfectly square, and then the door frame consisting of the members 5, is fitted around the door, first inserting pads 14-. between the edges of the door and the door frame, and spaced apart at suitable intervals. These pads are preferably of heavy paper or other fibrous material of the same thickness as that required for normal clearance between the door and door frame.

In Figure 2 is disclosed the preferred mode of fitting the ends of the vertical frame mombors 5 and the ends of the upper cross member 15, it being noted that these joints are what may be termed a mortise and tenon joint, consisting of a tongue 16 projecting from the upper end of the frame members 5 and fitting into a groove 15 at the ends of the cross frame members 15. These joints are made secure by means of glue and also by means of nails 1717. Furthermore, in order to draw the members tightly together after they have been glued, a screw 18 is driven downwardly through the laterally projecting portion of the upper frame member 15 and endwiso into the corresponding projectiog portion of the vertical frame members 5*.

Having assembled the door frame meml rs around the door, using the latter as a square and inserting the pads 14 between the adjacent edges, the next operation is to prepare the door and. its frame for shipment. In this connect-ion it may be stated that it is preferred for convenience in shipment, to unite two doors and their respective door frames in a single package, the doors being pro/hufa-bly wrapped in paper as a means of protection, and the door frames fitted together so that their exposed surfaces are also protected during shipment. However, a single door and its frame may be shipped in a single package, if desired.

Referring to the preferred method of shipping the doors and their frames in pairs, Figures 3 to 9 disclose the method of preparing the packages. Having fitted two doors with their frames, they are placed face to face with the outer surfaces of the frame members fi -5" facing inwardly and toward each other. Between these members 5 of the frames 55 are inserted thin strips 19 of packing lumber extending transversely of the doors and spaced apart at suitable intervals throughout their length. Each alternate strip 19, however, is nailed to opposite frame members so that they do not connect either the doors or their associated frame members together but form in reality a series of crating strips which nest together throughout the space between the two door assemblies, as is best seen in Figure 8. Surrounding the door frame members, however, are cleats 21 hearing edgewise against the outer edges of the frame members 5, these cleats being secured to the frame n'iembers by means of nails 21 driven through the cleats and into the edges of both frame members s -5 There are three of these cleats 21, two extending along the sides and one across the top, thus securely connecting the'two door assemblies or units together. On the outside of the now united door units and spaced from the outer surfaces of the doors 88 is anotl or series of eating strips 22, these extending transversely of the door frame members 55 and secured at their ends thereto by means of nails 21 driven through the end strips and into the outer edges of the members 5" of the door frames 5. Between these crating strips 22 and the longitudinal edges of the doors are spacing strips 23.

As shown in Figure 6 the lower ends of the longitudinal door frame members 5 5 project a short distance beyond the lower edge of the door, and across the bottom is another cleat 24 corresponding to the cleats 21, these latter cleats being nailed to the ends of the frame members 5-5. To prevent the doors from sliding downward, blocks 25 are inserted and nailed in place between the lower bottom edges of the doors and the bottom cleat 2a.

The doors thus crated form a secure package which can'readily Withstand the rough handling incident to shipment, and furthermore otl'er adequate protection from damage to the finished surface of the doors and their 'i'i- 'nes. Thus assuming that the package is received at the building in which the doors are to be installed, the first operation would be to remove the cleats 21 and 24. By so do- .ing, the two door assemblies are thus separated, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, but each being still a complete crated unit by reason of the intermediate separating strips 19 and the outer strips 22. In this condition, each door and its door frame is inserted bodily into the door opening prepared to receive it, this being done without removing the crating strips. In this condition, therefore, the door frames are anchored into the door opening as ady described, namely, by drlving nalls through the angularly arranged portlons of the door frame into the studs, with the result that there is no opportunity for the door frame to warp or get out of true with respect to the door. The door frame having been thus anchored, the crating strips 19 and 22 are then removed, the door 8 taken out of the frame and the hinges, locks, etc. are put in place. In the meantime, the door trim and door stops are put in place so that the instalh-ttion is completed by hanging the door on its hinges.

It follows from the foregoing description that by this method of assembling the door and its door frame as a unit and then crating a it as described, there is no opportunity for the frame to spring out of shape during shipment, and while it is being anchored within the door opening. As a result, no squaring of the door frame is necessary and the only operation required of the worlnnan is to anchor the door frame in place and then ap ply the hardware.

The advanta, of this construction and method of i that it does away with all the present cut and try methods now used and the time and labor required in cutting and squaring the door frames and then fitting the door to the frame.

As already pointed out, the details of the door trim will vary with the type of wall construction used, but in any case, the combination of the door frame and its door will remain the same, For this reason, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details of wall construction or door trim herein disclosed, nor for that matter, in the particular dimensions or proportions of the door and its unitary frame.

1 claim as my invention:

l. The method of assembling and installing a door and door frame consisting of initially constructing the frame to fit around the door with spacing members between to determine 111g are quite obvious, namely, i

the required clearance, bracing the frame to make it rigid andprevent the displacement of the door, nailing the braced frame into a doorway Without distortion within said frame to establish the permanent shape of said frame, and thereafter removing the bracing and spacing members, and hanging said door in said frame. 7

2. The method of constructing and installing a door and its frame consisting of fitting the frame to its door, inserting spacing members between the edges of the door and said frame, applying bracing members on opposite sides of said frame to prevent its distortion and to hold said door therein, installing the braced frame and door in a door opening and permanently anchoring said frame in place before removing the bracing and spacing members.

3. The method of constructing and installing a door and its frame consisting of fitting a frame about a door, with spacing members between the edges of the door and the frame to determine the required clearance, nailing bracing members to the opposite sides of said frame to make it rigid about the door, placing the rigid frame into a door opening and se curing the same permanently in place, removin the bracing members and door and finally hanging the door in said frame.

4. The method of constructing and installing a door and its frame which consists in initially fitting a frame around a door, using the atter as a form, assembling the frame and .oor with temporary bracing and spacing members to prevent distortion of the frame, permanently mounting the assembled frame and door in a door opening, removing the bracing and spacing members, and finally hanging the door in said frame.

5. A method of shipping and installing a door and door frame, consisting of fitting a frame around a door with spacing inserts between the edges or the door and the frame,

nailing crating strips on both sides of said frame toform a rigid package, placing the package into a doorway, permanently anchoring the frame in place in said doorway, removing the crating strips, spacing members and door, and hanging the door in said frame,

Signed at Dnbuque, Iowa, this 6th day of February, 1928.

BENJAMIN J. TRILLER. 

